Image courtesy of Vikings.com
The 49ers didn’t just deflate the balloon that was the Vikings’ hopes and expectations for 2015. They snatched it from the hands of optimistic fans, grabbed the sharpest needle they could find, and popped it right in their faces.
Last night’s game was ugly, and one a distraught fanbase won’t soon forget. Carlos Hyde pounded head coach Mike Zimmer’s defense, carrying the ball 26 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback the Vikings were supposed to contain, eluded pass rushers and consistently moved the chains with his legs. In the words of Zimmer, maybe his team “just isn’t ready for primetime.”
I could go on, but I won’t — I’ll save the negativity for a breakdown of the game on Wednesday. Today, I want to take a different route, a more positive route. Despite the failures on offense, defense, and special teams — unacceptable given the team’s five preseason games to prepare — there were a few encouraging signs as the Vikings transition to their Week 2 opponent, the Detroit Lions.
Who stood out, and what can the Vikings build on as they try to establish an identity?
Sitting in the stands, it was clear the Vikings weren’t prepared to handle the physicality of the 49ers, especially the aggressiveness from San Francisco’s offensive line. Everson Griffen was manhandled by 49ers left tackle Joe Staley, while edge defenders like Brian Robison and Chad Greenway lost battles to contain the outside run. With Geep Chryst taking over play-calling duties, the 49ers are relying on the stretch zone to beat teams up front, and that’s exactly what they did on Monday night.
Except for Anthony Barr, that is. The Vikings’ second-year linebacker led the team with 12 tackles against the 49ers, flying around the field to make a number of plays. He was the most aggressive defender of the unit, bursting into the backfield on designed blitzes and cutting through traffic to make shoestring tackle after shoestring tackle on would-be touchdowns. Near the end of the night, Barr did this:
His speed, natural ability to blitz from space, and explosive tackling were on full display throughout the night, and his mostly excellent night was capped by this play. In a pile of defenders who were punched in the mouth Monday night, Anthony Barr punched back, proving he’s fully recovered from offseason knee surgery and ready to become a superstar for the Vikings.
When the Vikings traded for Mike Wallace this offseason, he was expected to become the missing piece in Norv Turner’s offense — the deep threat with the speed to “take the top off the defense.” While Wallace does bring that element to the Vikings, he proved much more valuable as Teddy Bridgewater’s safety net on Monday night.
Early in the game, Bridgewater and Wallace couldn’t connect for a deep touchdown, which would have put the Vikings ahead. It appeared Wallace was interfered with, and Bridgewater’s perfectly-thrown pass bounced off of his hands and into the end zone. With their missed opportunity behind them, the duo connected on six passes for 63 yards — both team-highs for the night.
In times of trouble, Bridgewater looked to Wallace down the field, and the Vikings worked hard to get their speedy new receiver open in space, running him underneath, across the field, and sometimes, into deep coverage. The two formed a close relationship throughout training camp, and that relationship has manifested itself into a sense of trust when it matters; the regular season.
Save for one short completion to Anquan Boldin and one (tacky) defensive holding call, Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes played a solid game against the 49ers. He showed well in the running game, fighting off blockers and using his length to stop running backs and receivers upon first contact. In coverage, Rhodes was hardly a factor, blanketing his assignments and forcing Colin Kaepernick to look elsewhere or tuck and run.
Harrison Smith was also relatively quiet, save for one monstrous hit on a scrambling Colin Kaepernick:
Collectively, the secondary prevented any explosive passing plays, making the 49ers’ longest completion of the night a 20-yard dump-off to tight end Garrett Celek. Where they struggled was underneath against crossers and quick outs, but the deep portion of the field was well covered.
In a surprising move, Mike Zimmer started Andrew Sendejo in Robert Blanton’s place at strong safety. Sendejo struggled to set the edge on running plays, and Zimmer eventually replaced him with Blanton in the second half.
I’d love to chock last night’s loss up to a late start time or collective fatigue, but in all honesty, the defeat carries no excuse — Mike Zimmer’s team wasn’t prepared for primetime and it showed. In spite of their shortcomings, a few Vikings stood out Monday Night. Who, or what, is your pick?
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I thought Sendejo, Greenway, and Robison were way to slow for the Vikings. I hope we replace them before the next game.
Those three were slow last year too. Robison got held a lot last night, especially on the sweep plays. Pretty sure that the faster rookies are going to have to be played and sit Sendejo and Greenway for the rest of the year. If Greenway gets to play and we keep on looking like we did, then that's on Zimmer.
You forgot to mention Hodges.. He's no middle linebacker. Think that will show up in the game film review. Look for Cole or Kendricks to be there next week.
Slide out Hodges to play Greenways role and sub in Kendricks at MLB
Obviously Barr was one of the few brightspots, but I was also impressed with Rhodes tackling ability- he made several impressive one-on-one tackles, made me sort of think we may have a Winfield 2.0 in the making here (only with much better coverage skills).
All I heard all preseason was how the defense was focused on stopping the run, and they got gashed last night! What the heck happened?
walsh didn't miss an extra point!
Over the course of the past year, a whole lot of people apologized for Peterson's abuse of a 4 year old child, merely to enable him to play in the NFL. They valued football over the safety of children in our society. Last night, those people got exactly what they deserved.
Peterson is a 30 year old running back who is at the end of his career. Sure, Peterson can still run his mouth. Unfortunately, he really can't run the football anymore. Before the season , he stated his goal of rushing for 2,500 yards this season, a number which is patently ridiculous. As of right now, Peterson is on pace to run for 496 yards this season.
People who spent the off season talking about what Peterson would do with "a big chip on his shoulder" really are not knowledgeable enough to be considered fans. They are nothing but fanbois, and they pant at Peterson like a school girl in heat.
Anyone looking for a positive from last night's game just needs to look at Jerick McKinnon's average per rush. The future of the Vikings is already on the roster.
Geez dude....lighten up a bit. You really have a boner about that. Other people have a right to their opinion. Peterson made a mistake, got in trouble...it's over.
Will you show up when he gets 150 yards and say you were wrong? That'd be cool of you
ccarterhof
I agree with you 100%. Hey, I was leading the charge of being pissed off at AP for what he did. But, like you said, he got in trouble and paid his due. As far as him being washed up? He carried like 7 Niners and a piano on his back for 10 yds on that one run. The bottom line is the Vikes couldn't pick up third downs and when you don't accomplish that (and fall behind by double digits) the running game gets abandoned.
I find it odd that you are concerned about the status of my private anatomy, but then you have consistently displayed a penchant for behavior which would exclude you from the company of decent human beings.
One of the fundamental flaws in our society today is the belief that "everyone has a right to their opinion", with no qualifications attached to it. They certainly do have a right to their opinion, but when they publicly air those opinions, they should expect to be held accountable for those opinions.
Accountability. I would certainly expect that you would have a problem with that concept, and you never fail to disappoint, in that regard at least.
Fortunately, we live in a hierarchical society where the opinions of someone like yourself are completely meaningless. Better people than you make any decisions which actually matter. We should all be grateful for that.
If you think no one is ever going to talk about what you laughingly refer to as Peterson's "mistake", you are going to be gravely disappointed. It is going to follow him his entire life, as well it should.
I'm not particularly worried about Peterson running for 150 yards, unless it is against a Pop Warner squad. All the children would be afraid, and run away as fast as possible, for fairly obvious reasons.
What would be cool would be for you to admit that
1) Winfield was washed up when he left the Vikings, given that he never played another regular season down in the NFL.
2) That getting rid of Jennings was a smart move, given that he had 3 catches for 29 yards and no TDs for Miami this week.
3) That Leslie Frazier was a horrific head coach, and given how the Tampa Bay defense has performed since he became the defensive coordinator, he is incompetent at that as well
4) Peterson didn't "make a mistake", he brutally abused a 4 year old child, was charged with a felony, and plea bargained it down to a misdemeanor as a first time offender.
Frankly, not only are you wrong about a lot of things, you never seem to realize how wrong you are, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. That is why the opinions of people like you simply do not matter.
There, that is my opinion, and it even comes with facts. I am sure that you will agree that I have a right to it.
Hahaha, well I'm working on being a better human being every day. Some days I fare better than others.
I think maybe you're overthinking this thing, it'll be alright. Let it go...
We shall see about Adrian getting to the 150 mark, my money says he will.
Winfield? One of the best DB's in Viking history. It was a mistake for the Vikes to let him go, plain and simple. And it showed when the team went from 10 wins to 5, a lot of that had to do with lack of leadership and experience in the defensive secondary.
Doesn't matter about Seattle, different team...
Jennings? I didn't like it when they did it, thought he would be a good guy to have with a young QB. Time will tell. But WAY different from the Winfield thing. Not even close.
I'll admit Frazier was not a good head coach...did I ever say he was a good one?
Back to the AD thing...hmmmm. What he did was wrong. It's over. Forgiveness...it's powerful. I've needed it, probably will again.
I get asked my opinion everyday, several times in fact. Seems like it matters a little. There are a few people in this world whose opinion I really value. And while you have the right to yours...at this time I choose to not care about it.